Cargill's Castle facts for kids
Cargill's Castle is a historic ruined mansion located on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Dunedin, New Zealand. It's one of the few castle-like buildings in New Zealand. While it's called a "castle," it was actually a large, fancy house built in the Italianate style. It was built for Edward Cargill, whose father, William Cargill, was one of the founders of Dunedin. Edward called his new home The Cliffs.
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Cargill's Castle: A Grand Home's Story
This impressive home was designed by a young architect named Francis Petre. It was built using concrete by Harry Lyders and finished in 1877. The cost was about £14,000, which was a huge amount of money back then!
The Architect's Love Story
While Francis Petre was designing Cargill's Castle, he fell in love with Edward Cargill's daughter, Margaret. Their relationship faced challenges because Petre was a strong Catholic, and the Cargill family were strong Presbyterians. Despite these differences, they eventually received permission to marry. Their wedding took place right inside the villa's main room on March 1, 1881.
Fire and New Beginnings
Sadly, a fire badly damaged Cargill's Castle in 1892. Edward Cargill had it repaired, but he couldn't afford to replace all the wooden decorations that were lost. He did add a ballroom, though! After Edward Cargill passed away in 1903, the castle had several different owners. In the 1930s, a man named John Hutton turned it into a restaurant and cabaret. This became a very popular spot, especially for soldiers visiting during World War II.
The Castle Today
Over the years, there have been many ideas to fix up Cargill's Castle and bring it back to its original glory. However, none of these plans have happened yet. Today, the castle is mostly a ruin, just a shell of what it once was. It's important to know that you cannot visit the site, as there is no public access to the ruins.
Exploring Tunnel Beach
A few kilometers south of Cargill's Castle is a special place called Tunnel Beach. It got its name because the only way to reach this quiet beach is through a steeply sloping tunnel. The Cargill family carved this tunnel into the 60-meter high cliffs. It's very likely that Francis Petre, the architect of the castle, also oversaw the building of this tunnel. You can get to Tunnel Beach by following a public walking track, which is about six kilometers southwest of Dunedin's city center.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Cargill para niños
